Coach Henrique Calisto (L)

National football coach Henrique Calisto is displeased with the news that the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) is likely to send its U19 instead of the U23 team to the Pre-SEA Games tournament next month.

Speaking to Thanh Nien on Wednesday, Calisto said, “I don’t know how accurate that information is because the Vietnam Football Federation has not said anything about it to me.”

The Portuguese tactician said he would have to talk with VFF to decide whether Vietnam’s U23s should compete in that event if the news is true.

If Thailand sends its U19 to the contest, it would be a bad decision, indicating a lack of respect for the other teams, Calisto said.

Calisto said his players are training hard and he plans to select good players to compete at the Pre-SEA Games tournament against hosts Laos, Malaysia and Thailand.

Later on Wednesday, Thanh Nien contacted Steve Darby who is in charge of the Thai U23 squad after Briton Peter Reid left his position earlier this week to work as assistant coach at the English Premier League club Stoke City.

Darby said the news that Thailand would send its U19s to the Pre-SEA Games competition was not accurate. He said he was now in charge of the Thai U23 team and no change has been made to the squad’s training and competition plans.

Darby said he would send the U23 team to the event because he considers it an opportunity to test his players as well as learn more about rival teams before the 25th South East Asian Games takes place in Vientiane in December.

Reported by Thanh Nien staff